The Cost of Sharing - By Kerrian Easy-Munroe

Written By: Kerrian Easy-Munroe

Category: Short Story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Kerrian Easy-Munroe introduces readers to a world of camaraderie and conflict in her short story, "The Cost of Sharing." Submitted to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 in the Short Story category, this narrative weaves a tale of friendship, secrets, and the intricate dynamics of community life. Set against the backdrop of a sleepy neighborhood, the story explores the repercussions of trust and the inevitability of betrayal, showcasing Kerrian's keen eye for human relationships.

About the Work

In "The Cost of Sharing," Kerrian Easy-Munroe crafts a vivid narrative that delves into the complexities of friendship and the sting of betrayal. Her storytelling is rich with imagery, painting a picture of a close-knit community where secrets are currency and trust is fragile. The mood shifts from light-hearted camaraderie to tension and conflict, revealing the emotional depths of the characters. Through her engaging prose, Kerrian captures the essence of youthful relationships and the universality of personal conflicts.

The Cost of Sharing

Original Submission by Kerrian Easy-Munroe

THE COST OF SHARING: A SHORT STORY

BY: KEASY

My name is Ada, pronounced AA-dah, and I live in Close Vale. My community is quiet and almost sleepy. Men ride to work in the cool of the morning on bicycles. Fog swirling around them, thick and opaque like a red pea soup. We have a sugar cane factory close by, and the air is always filled with the sweet aroma of burning cane and the swirling soot that goes with it. I stand outside sometimes and twirl while the soot falls. It blackens my face and my feet and even my clothes. My mother is appalled.

My neighbour, Mr. Loren, is a butcher and slaughters pigs for a living. I have memorized the songs that they sing when they breathe their last. It is high pitched, with swells of crescendos and the inevitable diminuendo. I do not care for this song at all. I cover my ears and try to block them out, but the pigs all conspire against me. My fingers are pried apart and my ear drums assaulted. Their predecessors would be proud.

My best friend lives down the street. Her name is Latoya, but everyone calls her Lolly. She is dark and tall with the biggest mouth God every placed on a human being. Her laughter is booming and seems to shake her entire frame. She talks A-lot. Lolly knows everything about everyone and cannot keep it to herself. My mother would often say “If you are doing anything and see Lolly coming, lay down and play dead”. But Lolly was my friend and I didn’t mind her big mouth. I was the first to hear the community gossip from her…...or so I thought. Lolly has a friend named Kim, who is always tagging along, third wheeling if you will. She is very nosey and asks a lot of questions. She always seems to be competing with me for Lolly’s attention. If you cannot already guess, I do not like Kim.

I go looking for Lolly to play jacks, and surprise, Kim is already there. She sneers as she sees me coming.

“Who called you to come Ada? Our game is already going on”.

“Mind your business Kim”, I said, “Nobody is here to see you”. I shoot an ugly look at her and stick out my tongue.

“Guuuuuuys can’t you two just get along?” moans Lolly. She rolls her eyes at us, and sighs in exasperation.

“Fine”. I, said.

“Fine”, says Kim.

We settle down to play and before I can throw the ball Kim says,

“Guess who I saw earlier today?”

“Who?”, Lolly and I said in unison.

“Xavier”, she said with a sly grin looking straight at me.

My mouth goes dry and my hands freeze. Xavier? My Xavier? I scream in my head. I can feel my eyes bugging out.

“He was chatting me up and said I was cute”. She was grinning from ear to ear. Her look reminded me of Sylvester the cat just before trying to swallow Tweety bird.

Did I forget to mention Xavier? I guess I did. Xavier lives in the adjoining community. He is the most handsome, most athletic, most charming boy I have ever met. But then again, maybe I am biased because I have a huge crush on him. His smile takes up his entire face and does strange things to my heart and my knees. We spoke once, at the shop. He asked me to move my hand so he could get his popsicle off the counter. I looked up just in time to see him wink and smile before grabbing his popsicle and heading out with his friends. It was love at first sight, well, at least for me. I told Lolly about him. Only Lolly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked Kim.

“You know why.” She said with a little laugh.

I looked over at Lolly who was busy studying an ant on the ground. It must have been the most interesting ant in life, because she didn’t look up once. Her betrayal was like a hammer and chisel, chipping away at my soul, jagged and deep, threatening to expose my liquid core. I got up and furiously blinked away the tears that were pricking the backs of my eyelids. I refused to cry in front of them.

“Where are you going Ada?” Lolly asked as she tried to grab my hand.

I snatched my hand away and mumbled something along the lines of my mother calling me. I turned and ran down the street towards my house. Above the din of the roaring in my ears, I heard Kim snicker and Lolly saying,

“You and your big mouth!!” Oh, the irony of this statement. Lolly was being a very big pot at this point.

“So what? I don’t like her any way”, retorted Kim, the very black kettle.

I heard nothing else, nor did I care to. They were both dead to me.

Back home I went straight to my room. The disbelief I felt had now morphed into anger and hot tears streamed down my face uninhibited. I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms. Grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw until I swear it would pop out of the socket. How could she?? She was my best friend! And Kim? She told my secret to Kim? Of all the people! I decided there and then that I would get her back.

The thing about best friends is that we share secrets and I had one for Lolly. Besides her big mouth, she would write things about people in a little book she nicknamed “Days of our Lives” (Her Mom watched a lot of soap operas). She would take the gossip that she heard and spin them into a mixture of facts and fiction. Some were hilarious, but some were also quite sordid. She would give me the book from time to time, for safe keeping at my house, because her little brother Tony was a snoop. I got up and checked the bottom drawer of my dresser, digging beneath my clothes. Ah yes, here it was. The little book that would now become her undoing. I was about to rain on Lolly’s parade.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform for writers and poets worldwide. It celebrates creativity and originality, providing a space for participants to showcase their literary talents across various categories, including poetry, short stories, and creative essays. This competition fosters a global community of writers, encouraging diverse voices and innovative storytelling.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Kerrian Easy-Munroe for her captivating short story, "The Cost of Sharing." Her participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 highlights her talent for storytelling and her ability to evoke emotion through her narrative. We look forward to more of her insightful contributions to the world of literature.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.